Managing Anger
Being angry is not healthy. Staying angry is even worse. It effects your health and your relationships.
Learning to manage anger will add years to your life and life to your years.
Ways to Manage Anger
The best approach to dealing with anger is know how to handle it when it pops up. Here are some ways to help prevent angry feelings from building up inside.
- Exercise. Go for a walk/run, work out, or go play a sport. Lots of research has shown that exercise is a great way to improve your mood and decrease negative feelings.
- Listen to music (with your headphones on). Music has also been shown to change a person's mood pretty quickly. And if you dance, then you're exercising and it's a two-for-one.
- Write down your thoughts and emotions. You can write things in lots of ways; for example, in a journal or as your own poetry or song lyrics. After you've written it down, you can keep it or throw it away - it doesn't matter. The important thing is, writing down your thoughts and feelings can improve how you feel. When you notice, label, and release feelings as they show up in smaller portions, they don't have a chance to build up inside.
- Draw. Scribbling, doodling, or sketching your thoughts or feelings might help too.
- Meditate or practice deep breathing. This one works best if you do it regularly, as it's more of an overall stress management technique that can help you use self-control when you're mad. If you do this regularly, you'll find that anger is less likely to build up.
- Talk about your feelings with someone you trust. Lots of times there are other emotions, such as fear or sadness, beneath anger. Talking about them can help.
- Distract yourself. If you find yourself stewing about something and just can't seem to let go, it can help to do something that will get your mind past what's bugging you - call a friend for a fun chat, read something funny, or invite a friend over for a talk or meal.
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Making each day a little healthier
Nutrition Tips
Parents Control the Pantry.
Adults are in charge of deciding what belongs in the pantry and
refrigerator. Kids won’t go hungry; they will eat what is available. Allow the less nutritious foods in
only occasionally.
A Staple in the House.
Oatmeal is a food that should have a permanent place on your shelves. You
can cook it in water or milk and serve as a meal. You can use oatmeal instead of crackers for meatloaf.
And, you can mix a serving of dry oats into one-half the usual serving of your less-than-healthy cereal.
In Plain Sight.
Set some hummus, carrot sticks, whole-grain crackers and grapes on the counter for a
healthy family snack.
How Sweet They Are
. Slice a sweet potato and place each piece on a cookie sheet in a single layer
(spray your pan if necessary so they don’t stick). Lightly spray the slices and then sprinkle cinnamon
with a dash of salt, pepper and nutmeg on top. Roast at 375 degrees until they are cooked and slightly
crispy, about 25 minutes. Have kids join you in the kitchen for this one.
Fitness Tips
Everyone Needs to Get Up and Move.
More and more research suggests that everyone, even if you
are physically fit, needs to get up for at least a minute, multiple times, every day. It actually improves
learning and performance.
Kick the Cow.
Take an empty milk carton, use twigs to set up some goal lines, and establish teams.
Write the numbers 1 through 4 on each side of the milk carton. Play a modified version of soccer.
When the carton crosses the line the team gets the points that are showing face up on the milk carton.
Activity Party.
Plan an active birthday party. Go bowling, organize a treasure hunt, take everyone to a
climbing wall or, a favorite, set up relay races in the yard or at the park.
Health Tips
The Gift of Confidence.
If you want a child to succeed, one of the best gifts you can give them is the
belief that they CAN achieve more than they think is possible. Have faith, give them respect and let
them know that you believe in them. If children feel your confidence, they will perform to your
expectations. Christa McAuliffe said it best: "We are in a position to touch the future.” We owe our
children the best future possible.
A Few Favorites.
Wash your hands. Sneeze into your elbow instead of your hand. Rinse off fruit
under water for 20 seconds, even if it has a peel that you don’t eat. Get your zzz’s each night. Drink
one cup of water every hour starting at 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. each day. Most importantly: SMILE often.
These tips authored by your experts at:
www.healthetips.com
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Copyright
© 2011,
Health-E-tips, Inc.